DAYTON — As if Ohio State fans needed another reason to love Aaron Craft even more.

And yet another opponent another reason to hate him.

The junior guard did it again today, this time not with his pugnacious defense and but with a jump shot that has not been the prettiest this season.

This time, it could not have been prettier.

The last-second three-pointer by Craft that beat Iowa State 78-75 in an NCAA West Regional game in University of Dayton Arena will go down in Buckeyes lore with Matt Sylvester’s against No. 1 Illinois, Ron Lewis’ against Xavier in the NCAA Tournament and Evan Turner’s against Michigan in the Big Ten tournament during Thad Matta’s near-decade as Ohio State coach.

The 20-footer hit nothing but net with 0.2 of a second remaining, saved the Buckeyes from overtime and put them in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth year in a row. They are the only Division I program to have accomplished that.

Deshaun Thomas led Ohio State (28-7) with 22 points, Craft had 18 points and six assists, and LaQuinton Ross scored 17 points off the bench.

Korie Lucious, a former Michigan State guard, led Iowa State (23-12) with 19 points.

The Buckeyes, the No. 2 seed in the West, will play sixth-seeded Arizona (27-7) in a regional semifinal Thursday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Arizona is coached by Sean Miller, Matta’s former protege at Xavier, whose heart was pierced by Lewis’ dagger that forced overtime during the Buckeyes’ run to the 2007 NCAA championship game.

“I always see Evan Turner’s shot against Michigan (in the Big Ten tournament) my senior year of high school,” Craft said. “If this could be put in that category, it’s a very humbling experience.”

Until he scored Ohio State’s last seven points, Craft and the Buckeyes seemed destined to be humbled in a much worse way.

Two turnovers, a layup that rolled around and out and missed free throws on the front end of two one-and-one situations had left the All-Big Ten guard on the verge of being the goat after 10th-seeded Iowa State erased a 13-point deficit in less than three minutes.

Ten straight points by LaQuinton Ross gave Ohio State a 69-56 lead with less than six minutes to play. But the Cyclones scored 13 straight points to tie the score with 3:53 left and went ahead 73-71 on four straight points by Tyrus McGee, who scored 11 points in the second half.

McGee played the entire second half for starting guard Chris Babb, who suffered an ankle injury just before halftime and did not return.

At that point, Craft changed back into his cape and converted a three-point play for a 74-73 Ohio State lead with 2:35 left.

Two free throws by McGee put Iowa State back ahead by a point with 2:22 to play. But the Cyclones squandered a chance to build their lead with turnovers on their next two possessions, and that was the crack in the door Craft needed.

He tied the score with a free throw at 1:15 and won it with the only three-pointer he attempted in the game, over the outstretched arm of Iowa State post man Georges Niang, who was caught guarding him by a switch.

“He knew the big kid was on him,” Matta said. “I saw him get in his rhythm with each dribble. The kid wasn’t pushing up” into him.

Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said he was most concerned with keeping Craft from driving to the basket. Craft entered the game shooting less than 30 percent behind the arc this season.

“You’ve got to take your hat off to him. The kid stepped up and made a big shot. That’s who he is,” Hoiberg said.